May News from the Farm, River Cottage Spring Fair, BBQs ... and more

When May arrives, we breathe a sigh of relief. Usually the stresses and strains of lambing time, planting and calving are nearly over and we can look forward to a bit of down time! Maybe, it's too early in the month, but chilling out still seems out of reach for the time being. Today we moved the cows with their young calves along the road to their summer pastures which takes a several of us to control the traffic and make sure they don't charge off down the wrong road to the village, though luckily it's pretty quiet round Burrington !

I was also thinking today how maybe ignorance is bliss, and the trouble with having been farming for thirty years is that we know what needs to be done, and there's always more to learn, so the job never stops! But May is full of rewards too, with the hedgerows full of wildflowers and the blossom in the orchard is looking magnificent. There's been some rain for the crops and the grass is growing, so all is well.

The weather hasn't been that warm so far this year and I wonder if it's waiting for the bank holiday next week to be a scorcher! If you are having a family get together our barbecue boxes have got all the right ingredients with a huge variety of sausages, burgers and koftas, and if it turns out to be a wet one, there's lots of tender steaks which are just as good cooked indoors. If you are having a larger party of 10 or more, then I sometimes recommend you choose a simpler selection with less variety of things to cook, so for 20 people, I'd pick 20 steakburgers and maybe 40 sausages of different flavours and some koftas. If you are having a bigger celebration, then do talk to me about buying a whole lamb or side of pork or beef which would be good for a crowd of 40 or more. We are happy to cater for any number and do give me a phone if you want advice on what to choose.

Next weekend on the 23rd and 24th May, there's going to a lot going on down at River Cottage in Axminster, where they are holding their Spring Fair. There will be cookery demos and masterclasses and I know there will be Higher Hacknell lamb on the menu as I'm supplying them next week! I've also got a stall in the food producers marquee where they'll be tons of goodies to stock up on. There are garden tours and advice on growing from the land team (where our Jim works) and music too, so although it won't be a rest, I'm looking forward to it as it should be great fun.

If you'd like to get a meat delivery in time for the bank holiday, then please order by this Sunday, either online at www.higherhacknell.co.uk or phone me on 01769 560909 and we can deliver on Thursday 21st or Friday 22nd May.

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